We Should Have Had Years
by Mireille 29
Summary: 7th year has just started, Voldemort needs to be defeated, and in the middle much confusion of two best friends. According to Books 1 - 7, SPOILERS ahead, femslash, rating may change later on.
1. Chapter 1 Rollercoaster

**WARNING: SPOILERS HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS AHEAD**

››'_There's the silver lining I've been looking for,' she whispered, and then she was kissing him as she had never kissed him before, and Harry was kissing her back, and it was blissful oblivion, better than Firewhiskey; she was the only real thing in the world, Ginny, the feel of her, one hand at her back and one in her long, sweet-smelling hair – _

_The door banged open behind them and they jumped apart._

'_Oh,' said Ron pointedly. 'Sorry.'_

'_Ron!' Hermione was just behind him, slightly out of breath. There was a strained silence, then Ginny said in a flat little voice, 'Well, happy birthday anyway, Harry.'_

_Ron's ears were scarlet; Hermione looked nervous. Harry wanted to slam the door in their faces, but it felt as though a cold draught had entered the room when the door opened and his shining moment had popped like a soap bubble. All the reasons for ending his relationship with Ginny, for staying well away from her, seemed to have slunk inside the room with Ron, and all happy forgetfulness was gone._

_He looked at Ginny, wanting to say something, though he hardly knew what, but she had turned her back on him. He thought that she might have succumbed, for once, to tears. __‹‹_

_(Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Page 99)_

**A/N: **This is where this story starts. Pretty long quotation, but it had to be clear. I tried to make the whole thing plausible, and it will be sort of according to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows book/movie.

This has been done as a request for one if my best friends and is thus dedicated to you, Sarah.

Translated from my German original. I've already finished Chapters 1-4, so expect them to be up as soon as I translate them :)

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of those amazing characters; I'm just borrowing them from dear Miss J.K. Rowling ;)**

This is eventually going to be femslash/ girl-girl. Don't like, don't read.

Pairing: HG/GW

**We Should Have Had Years**

Chapter 1 – Rollercoaster

"I'm so sorry, Ginny."

Hermione closed the door behind them and stood behind Ginny, who was standing there leaned against the wall of her room and breathing heavily while she tried to regain her composure.

"I tried to hold Ron back, we really didn't mean to burst in like that, we-"

"It's all right, Hermione", Ginny replied and wiped her eyes hastily, "I know."

Hermione put one calming hand onto her shoulder.

"But, one thing's clear to me now", the redhead continued, "It's over. It didn't feel anything like it used to."

"But, Ginny, maybe –", Hermione began, but Ginny interrupted her again. "I'm not just talking myself into it, Hermione. I know it. I'm sure…" She took a step ahead and thus out of Hermione's reach. They stood like that for a few seconds, then Ginny said: "Please leave. I… I gotta be alone for a minute."

Hermione closed her eyes shortly.

"Okay", she said and turned towards the door, "If you wanna talk or need anything… I'm always there for you." And with those words she followed Ron and Harry downstairs.

Ginny heard the closing sound of the door, and only then did she allow herself to sink slowly to the floor. It was true; she did not love Harry anymore. Not romantically. That had been clear to her for a long time, and she had wanted to tell him, she had just been collecting all her Gryffindor courage to tell him when her genius brother and the reason for Ginny's emotional troubles had stormed into the room to disturb her. This should have been the last kiss for Harry, the only thing she could give him for his seventeenth birthday, the only thing he would be able to take along as a last memory. That was what she had wanted to tell him, and then that she understood his decision to break up with her and explain to him what was wrong with her. She was sure he would understand. If not him, then who would? And of course he was still important to her as one of her best friends and Hogwarts would not be the same without Dumbledore, without Harry, without her brothers… without Hermione.

Ginny took a deep breath and sank further down on the floor. It had been clear to her for a long time, just like she did not want it to be true that her mother was never going to have Harry Potter as her son-in-law, she did not want it to be true that Hermione was more to her than just her best friend. Or that Ginny wished she were.

"Hermione…", she whispered and buried her face in her arms. And while she racked her brains on how to admit to her best friend that she herself was the reason for Ginny's emotional rollercoaster she could no longer hold back her tears.

...x...x...x...x...x

The girls did not see each other for the rest of the afternoon, on the one hand because Scrimgeour gave Harry, Ron and Hermione the heirlooms that Dumbledore left them, on the other hand because Ginny did not leave her room until dinner. She seemed to have calmed herself, at least on the outside. She did her best to behave as always, but to Hermione it was obvious that her best friend was still in low spirits. She saw exactly that Ginny did not really listen to Bill talking to her about his future plans with Fleur, that she laughed only half-heartedly about Fred and George's jokes and Tonks's faces and - and that was a little surprising to her – that Ginny constantly ignored Harry's as well as her – Hermione's - own eyes all the time. She planned to talk to Ginny later about that, when they would be alone in her room.

...x...x...x...x...x

The remaining evening of Harry's birthday went relatively calm, considering the fact that Bill and Fleur's wedding was set for the next day. When it was slowly getting darker everyone was still sitting in the living room, Lupin and Tonks were still there, and everyone was talking relaxedly. Ginny however withdrew to her room early on the pretext of still having to finish a book after Hermione had begun to talk to Ron and Tonks about Quidditch. Her plan to wake Ginny's interest with this subject and to draw her out with that had thus failed miserably.

But she did not want to follow Ginny immediately; she had a feeling that she needed time for herself once again. However, she could not really focus on the conversation with Ron after the disappearance of the redhead as her enthusiasm for Quidditch had always been pretty limited, which is why she did not wait too long before she followed Ginny to her room.

On arriving there, she found Ginny sitting on her bed with a book on her lap. She had obviously been prepared for someone to follow her and had wanted to make her excuse seem plausible. Although Hermione could not see the title of the book, it was not even important anyway, as she realized that Ginny was not reading a single letter. Her eyes were fixed on a point shortly above the edge of the book, and she did not notice Hermione before the latter closed the door a little louder than she normally would. The brunette smiled at her, and Ginny gave her a small grin that did not reach her eyes in response. While she quickly changed into her nightwear Hermione thought about how to start the conversation with Ginny and eventually decided on the rather inelegant direct way for the lack of alternatives.

"Ginny", she said an sat down on the edge of Ginny's bed, "please… talk to me. I know something's wrong with you. I want to help you." She had not touched the redhead as the latter had backed away slightly when she tried. Hermione waited for an answer for some moments, but there was no stir whatsoever of her best friend. She continued to stare into nothing. Hermione sighed.

"Okay… you see, I don't wanna push you, so." Ginny turned away her face. Hermione got up and was just about to go when Ginny eventually started to speak.

"I can't say it, Hermione. You're my best friend and still… I can't tell you." _Or rather because of that, _she added in her thoughts. Now she turned towards Hermione, her blue eyes met worried hazel ones.

"But please… stay here." She reached out to her with one hand. "Please…" Ginny was rather sure that this plea was not good for her, but still her heart screamed louder that her brain. There was nothing she wished more than for Hermione to stay here, not only now but forever, that she would not have to go with Harry and Ron, that no one of them would have to go. And yet she knew, if she did not want to show Hermione here and now what was going on with her she should not ask her to stay.

That was why she was as incredibly happy as horribly sad when Hermione took her outstretched hand and sat back down.

Hermione seemed to feel that, just like she always felt what Ginny needed, another reason why Ginny felt so attracted to her. And the older one knew exactly what Ginny needed in this situation. Thus she pulled the younger one into her arms, gently ran her fingers through the flaming red hair and the other hand over Ginny's back. Ginny let it happen, she clang to the blouse that Hermione would always wear to sleep. Being this close was heaven and hell at the same time. It felt so good, and yet she knew that this was all she would ever have. And Ginny had to admit again what she had been pushing away for so long, that Hermione meant more to her than was good for either of them.

Neither of them knew how much time had passed by when Ginny broke the silence.

"Thank you." Hermione smiled.

"For you, always", she replied. Then Ginny looked up and their eyes met.

Hermione found herself getting lost in those blue depths. In this … gaze which seemed to look deeply into her…

"W-well, we… we should go to bed", she said with a shaky grin. Never before had she noticed the intensity of Ginny's gaze and – and that was even more surprising – how nice it had felt to hold the younger girl in her arms. Yes, she had been her best friend for a long time, the best friend Hermione could ever wish for, but never before had she had shivers down her spine like that when they looked at each other… or had she? She could not even say so anymore herself.

"Yes, you're right", Ginny ripped her out of her thoughts. Hermione felt her own cheeks flush. Did she really just have _such_ thoughts about her best friend? Only now did she seem to realize just how much Ginny had grown, how beautifully red her hair was, and how nicely it fell over her shoulders, shining in the dim light of the small lamp on her night desk, how cute those freckles on her nose and under her eyes were, how dark her eyelashes and how silky her skin –

Ginny, who did not seem to have noticed anything, now pulled her covers over herself and lied down.

"Good night."

"Good night, Ginny."

But Hermione did not find any sleep in this night. Her thoughts kept a strong hold onto the emotions she had just realized she had but could not yet really sort out. Was it because of the journey she, Harry and Ron would soon have to set out to and her fear of never coming back? Had this … opened her eyes? Or had she always only been pushing it away…?

She remembered a moment in her fourth year, during the Quidditch World Championship, when she had shared a tent with Ginny. That had been the moment in which a strong bond of friendship had formed between them. Of course they had always been getting along quite well, but that was the real starting point. During the entire fourth year it had been Ginny whom Hermione had told about her relationship with Krum, it had been her who had shared her sorrows about what could have happened to Harry, it had been her who had helped Hermione to tame her bushy hair for the Yule ball… Then, in her fifth year, when she had started Dumbledore's Army, Ginny had practiced the Patronus Charm with her, the only Charm that had ever been problematic for her…

Why did she only now think about the fact that it might be because of Ginny that Hermione's Patronus took the form of an otter, that it was not because of nothing that she always thought about Ginny's – not Ron's – laughing face when she summoned it?

Ginny's laughter, which she had hardly heard during her fifth year when Harry was with Cho Chang… when she herself had advised Ginny to be more herself around Harry to make him notice her…

All of a sudden Hermione felt a sting of jealousy. _Stupid girl, _she cursed herself,_ you can't be jealous of Harry… _and yet she suddenly had the strange wish that it had been her who was kissed like that by Ginny…

Had Ginny maybe noticed what Hermione had realized only now, did she maybe harbour the same feelings, was it because of this that she had not talked Harry into getting back together with her?

Or was she only talking herself into this, was Ginny really only what everyone thought she was, what she was supposed to be – her best friend?

She did not know, and when sleep finally did conquer her, her dreams were still haunted by the girl sleeping in the bed next to her own.


	2. Chapter 2 Lost Time

**A/N: **I now the book says hazel, but I kept Ginny's eyes blue , corresponding to Bonnie Wright. I really love that actress :D

Thanks to those who added this story to their faves/alerts :) Much appreciated.

**We ****should have had years**

Chapter 2 – Lost Time

When she woke up Ginny was already out of the room. Hermione sat up and stretched her arms. She set to find out today what was on Ginny's mind. Her heart dropped a little when she thought of the dreams that had kept her awake most of the night. She would have to tell Ginny. Maybe, she hoped, maybe Ginny would tell her what was on her mind when she had something to admit herself. With this hope Hermione made her way downstairs for breakfast.

And while she was eating she could not let go of the thought that it was really this "quest" she was planning with Ron and Harry, that was weighing so much on Ginny, or rather the fact that she would not be able to come along. Mrs Weasley would hardly let her go, what with Ginny still being underage…

And while thinking about this Hermione realised that the one thing she wished most fervently was to take Ginny with them. It was just as clear, however, that this was beyond impossible. Dumbledore's instructions to Harry had been clear – the fewer people to know about Voldemort's secret the better. He had been allowed to let Ron and Hermione in, and Hermione had often felt the weight of this secret on her shoulders ever since she knew it. Once they would be on their journey and constantly threatened to meet Death Eaters who would surely use the Cruciatus Curse… Hermione could only hope that she would be strong enough to endure the torture, she had never felt the pain herself, but had a vivid memory of Moody's – or rather Barty Crouch's – Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson. And to expect Ginny to put up with the burden of this secret… no, she really did not want that.

Hermione finished her breakfast and made her way to find Ginny. She did not have to search long. She knew that Ginny would go to the hill behind the garden when she wanted to be alone. There, she could not be seen from inside the house, and as it was the only place still inside the protection charms casted around the Burrow Hermione was sure to find her there. And she was – as usually – right.

When she approached Ginny shortly shot her a glance, but then turned her gaze right back to the landscape.

"Please go," she begged quietly. But this time Hermione could not comply with her plea.

"No." Ginny looked up at her with surprise.

"No?"

"No," Hermione repeated. Ginny made to get up, but before she could utter a word Hermione grabbed her a little harsher than intended by the hand and pulled her ruggedly into her arms. Ginny wanted to protest, but Hermione was faster again.

"I want to enjoy the last few days in the Burrow… with you, Ginny. Please… we were always able to talk to each other no matter what…" She felt Ginny's resistance crumble ever more as the redhead clung to her like she always did. Hermione had a hot shiver run down her spine, likely to the one of the day before, and felt inevitably reminded of her dreams where she had been in a similar position, but with less clothes… She allowed those thoughts, and it felt right to hold Ginny like this, to breathe in her sweet scent, to suddenly realise that Ginny's hands were shortly above her breasts, that their hips were pressed against each other, and that she was feeling ever more hot because of this. She had to try hard to stifle a sigh.

Suddenly Ginny broke away from her and turned around. Before Hermione could sort out her thoughts for a coherent sentence the redhead had already turned back towards her.

"Close your eyes please." This time, Hermione followed her demand, she could not deny that she was excited, that her heartbeat had just doubled its pace when she thought about what Ginny _might _be intending, after all, there was a small chance that she felt the same, Hermione's heart clung to this chance while her sanity hollered against it, screaming that this was complete bullshit, why on earth should Ginny, her _best friend – _

Her heart jumped when Ginny took her face in both her hands.

_HAH! _Hermione's heart said a pulled a face towards her sanity.

Before sanity could even think about complaining she felt Ginny's smooth lips claim her own, tentatively, shyly, insecurely. Hermione's knees turned into two flobberworms, her heart did not come down from its height, her head spun. The feeling left her way too fast in Hermione's opinion, and Ginny let go of her. She did not say anything, she only returned Hermione's gaze as the brunette finally got a grip of herself again enough to open her eyes. They stared at each other for some moments, and then Ginny lowered her head when she felt her eyes getting moist.

"Now you know what's wrong," she said and briefly wiped her face with her sleeve. "I'm sorry, Hermione… I didn't know how to tell you… and now that you… you're gonna… I mean…" she broke off, her voice failed her.

"Ginny believe me, I wish it were different," Hermione said and seized Ginny's shoulders. So it was the quest after all, but also so much more. "I wish we had more time." She lifted Ginny's chin with one hand and let her lips wander first over her closed eyelids before pressing them gently but firmly onto Ginny's mouth. "More time for this."

Ginny shivered.

"Hermione, tell me… tell me I'm not dreaming." This plea broke the ice in so many ways. Ginny had her eyes shut tightly and was clinging to Hermione's shirt.

"You're not dreaming, Ginny." Hermione was surprised of her own voice sounding so scratchy, but it did not matter. Ginny kissed her again, this time longer than before. When they broke apart they shared another glance and Hermione felt a heavy burden lift from her heart when she saw Ginny smiling at her. She could not help but return it.

And before they even knew how they were clutching each other, holding as tightly as possible. And this time it was Hermione who shivered. That was when Ginny got to now that she was not the only one afraid. She did not know what the three of them were really up to, but even Hermione, who was usually rational and confident seemed to be scared, and it was surely not going to be an easy quest.

"We should have had years…" Hermione whispered.

"We will have years," Ginny replied. Hermione shook her head.

"Who knows what's expecting us, who knows if we're gonna make it, what if the Death Eaters will be faster and – " Ginny put one hand over her mouth.

"Hermione, you're going to make it. Whatever you're planning to do… you're gonna make it."

"How can you be so sure?" Hermione's voice was shaking almost as much as her hands.

"There's nothing you can't do." Ginny hesitated shortly. "And you're not alone." She gently ran a hand through Hermione's curly hair. She knew she was not supposed to perform magic outside of school, but whoever cared at the moment… She raised her wand a whirled it around. A thin strand emerged from the tip, similar to a Patronus, but it became solid, and when Ginny closed her hand around it, it was a delicate silver ring. She took Hermione's hand and put the ring onto her left hand.

"So that you remember me," she added. Hermione pulled her close and kissed her so hard it almost hurt. Ginny felt her tear-stained face and returned the kiss with equal force.

"I will always think of you… always..." Hermione said with choking voice.

…x…x…x…x…x

They spent the rest of the day preparing Bill and Fleur's wedding which was set to take place this evening. It was not before late evening that Ginny and Hermione found some spare time together. They were lying next to each other on Ginny's bed, Ginny's head resting on Hermione's arm, which the brunette had draped around her shoulders. Ginny was playing absent-mindedly with a strand of Hermione's hair.

"We should get dressed… it should be starting soon," Hermione stated softly.

"Hum," Ginny made. Hermione was right, as always, but Ginny knew that she was not feeling to going either. Then Hermione bent over her, and as if confirming Ginny's assumption she started to shower her entire face with gentle kisses. She started with the forehead and slowly wandered over nose and eyelids to the cheeks while Ginny held her in place with one hand in Hermione's neck. Eventually she reached the corners of Ginny's mouth, and Ginny turned her head slightly to meet her lips. And when they got lost in the kiss Ginny became aware of all the places pressed against Hermione, especially the one on her chest where Hermione had just rested her hand. She cringed slightly and pulled Hermione further down against herself. They were still kissing, and when Ginny ran her tongue over Hermione's bottom lip to ask for entrance the brunette did not hesitate to grant it. This feeling was beyond Ginny's wildest fantasies. It was as if she would burn up inside, her heart made one flip after the other while the rest of her insides chorused a loud Hallelujah.

When they pulled apart Hermione pressed her forehead against Ginny's and looked her deeply in the eyes. Again she felt Ginny's gaze more intensely than ever before. She lifted one hand and cupped Ginny's freckled cheek where she gently stroked her thumb over the smooth skin.

It was Mrs Weasley who eventually ended their display of affection.

"Ginny! Hermione! Hurry up, Delacours will be here soon and the tables are still not ready!"

"Looks like we really should be getting dressed," Ginny said a winked at Hermione. Hermione grinned.

"Seems so."

Ginny was the first one to get up and squeezed herself into her dress.

"Lend me a hand?" she asked Hermione and turned her back towards her. Hermione went to stand behind her and pulled up the zipper a little slower than necessary. While they were applying their make up they did not speak. Only when it came to taming Hermione's hair Ginny offered her help when Hermione sighed angrily.

"Come on, let me," she said and took the magical straightening spray and brush from Hermione's hair. Then she stood behind the older one who was sitting on the chair in front of the mirror and continued to straighten Hermione's hair strand by strand.

"This reminds me of the Yule ball in my fourth year," Hermione said and smiled at Ginny in the mirror. Ginny returned the smile.

"Yes, back then we needed a lifetime to get them straight… but it was so worth it. You looked stunning… even back then," Ginny said softly.

"Nonsense," Hermione countered, blushing and knowing she had not put more emphasize on her looks than necessary back then. To hear something like this out of Ginny's mouth highly flattered her nonetheless.

"I'm not only talking about this sole evening, Hermione. You've always been pretty. In my opinion at least." Hermione grinned when she saw Ginny's cheeks turn red in the mirror.

"Well it must be true if _you_ say so."

"Why that?"

"Well, what with being the one girl for whom all male - and at least one female, I may say – Hogwarts students would crawl on their knees to get a date, it must be true if _you_ tell me I am pretty."

Now Ginny's blush reached her ears, something she had in common with Ron. They were silent for a long time after this, but it was a comfortable silence. Hermione's hair cascaded down her shoulders in gentle waves by now; Ginny's efforts had not been in vain. The redhead was now standing in front of Hermione to tend to the hair on the front next. Unconsciously, Hermione could not help but lean forwards when Ginny's face appeared in front of her own.

"Hey there, gorgeous," she said softly.

"Hey there yourself, sexy," Ginny replied and they grinned at each other. Hermione was impressed by how incredibly beautiful Ginny looked when she saw her this closely. Her eyes seemed to glow, the blue in strong contrast with the flaming red of her hair, her freckles as clear as always, especially the one directly below her right eye…

"Ginny, you look fantastic…"

Ginny kissed her for an answer, careful not to smear her lipstick.

"GINNY! HERMIONE! IF YOU'RE NOT DOWN HERE IN A MOMENT I'LL BE COMING UP!"

"Yes it's okay mum, we're coming!"

Hermione laughed, Ginny shook her head, grinning, went to the door and opened it.

"After you, sexy lady," she said and waved at Hermione. Hermione rolled her eyes with feigned annoyance. When she went past Ginny she slightly stroke her cheek and brushed her lips gently over Ginny's for one last time.

"Let's get going, then," she said and Ginny followed her downstairs.


	3. Chapter 3 Part 1

A/N: I separated this chapter into two parts as it was simply too long for one. Those next two chaps basically deal with the storyline of the seventh book, but I left out the Golden Trio's view (would not wanna copy the entire book…) So, this is from Ginny's POV. I did not go too deep into the time between the wedding and the battle in Hogwarts mainly because this is supposed to be a short story and also because I could not find a fitting plot (I kinda changed it from my German original because I felt that this didn't have nearly enough depth… anyway, here you go ;D)

Thanks for the reviews, faves and alerts, much appreciated!

**We Should Have Had Years**

Chapter 3 Part 1

Escape

The wedding was beautiful. Fleur looked simply gorgeous, and Bill – despite his scars - looked happier than ever before. And Ginny tried to focus on that. On her brother, his wife, the people who came just for the two of them, on anything but on the one thing that attracted her thoughts like magnet all the time – Hermione. Hermione, who looked so amazing in her dress. Hermione, who was pulled onto the dance floor by a grumpy-looking Ron after Krum had sat down beside her and Harry disguised as Cousin Barny. Hermione, who had been lying in her arms just a few hours ago, whose lips had been pressed onto her own not long ago, Hermione, Hermione, Hermione.

What she would give to have the brunette in her arms right now, to be alone with her now, away from the bustle, just in quiet…

She needed some distraction. Fred and George were just right for that, and so she sat down next to them without further ado. Joked with them as always. About Harry's look as disguised Weasley, about Fleur's accent, about George's missing ear. As always. Seemingly playful, free, in high spirits. Completely against what she was feeling beneath all this façade. She even danced with Luna for a while.

"So, have you told her?" Luna asked.

"Told whom what?" Ginny was confused.

"Hermione, of course. You've been head over heels for her all the time, haven't you."

"What? I… Luna, how – "

"I observe. And it was kind of obvious. She is watching you all the time." Luna smiled her content smile. "She always did this. Even in Hogwarts, she was always watching you."

Ginny blushed.

"Why didn't you ever tell me? Would have made things easier for me…"

"As I said, I found it quite obvious. But I was too fascinated watching you two interact as if nothing was going on. I thought you would figure it out by yourselves," Luna simply said.

"You're incredible, Luna," Ginny said and laughed slightly. Luna smirked.

"Oh and if I had the choice, I would choose her over Harry, too. I mean, Harry's a nice guy and all, but Hermione is intriguing, don't you think?"

"Hey, watch out who you're setting your eyes on," Ginny said and jokingly punched Luna's arm. Luna just continued smirking. Ginny grinned at her, and then she went to grab a drink. When she took a sip from her glass her eyes went to Hermione, again admiring her beauty. Her gaze saddened.

She wanted to forget, to reject the thought that her time with Hermione was limited. She was talking herself into the fact that the few days they would still have would be enough for a start.

She knew for sure they would not.

And all her hopes were smashed dead when a silvery-shimmering lynx Patronus broke through the ceiling. All guests froze, and Kingsley Shacklebolt's voice sounded across the tent.

"_The ministry has fallen. Scrimgeour is dead. They're coming."_

Panic broke out when everyone realised the meaning of this. Panic as intense as Ginny had never felt it before, not even when Riddle's diary had possessed her. And the thought that had been bugging her mind all day long returned in all its force.

_Hermione._

She scanned the crowd for a mass of bushy hair, hurrying between people who were frantically running, escaping, disapparating, into security. Her eyes flew over many faces; and then someone seized her arm, pulled her back, and grabbed her face in both their hands.

A breathed "Ginny" and two soft lips that pressed against her own ungently.

"Hermione!" A short moment of relief, but then the panic returned with all its power. "Hermione, you must leave, quickly, before – " The same lips that interrupted her sentence, desperate. Ginny returned the kiss, it did not last long, their time was running out. Tears came before she could stop them.

"I love you, Ginny."

Another kiss. No time to wait for an answer. Before Ginny could scream it out to the world the way she wanted to do right now Hermione had already grabbed Harry's and Ron's hands and disapparated. To safety. Or so she hoped. The fear grew like a lump in Ginny's throat, she heard shockers and protection charms, curses and counter curses buzzing around her, but what did it matter, she could not think clearly anymore.

Then someone grabbed her arm again. She whirled around and her eyes met Tonks. No questions, just understanding, a tear when they disapparated.

She only breathed again when the blackness that had fogged her mind had passed. Tonks held her, caught her before she hit the ground.

"You okay, Gin?" a worried face appeared before her blurred view. She gasped for air. Her breathing calmed down.

"Yes… Yes, I'm okay." They were at Tonks's parents' house. It was still protected by the charms casted for Harry.

"Thank you, Tonks."

"No big, it's my job." Tonks winked at her and helped her back onto her legs. Lupin apparated next to them with a _Pop, _and Tonks leaped into his arms, feeling relieved.

"Feeling okay, Ginny?" She nodded. "Good. Let's get inside, then. I'll be feeling a lot better with a solid roof above my head."

…x…x…x…x…x…x

In between

Some days later Fred and George arrived as well. The Death Eaters had interrogated everyone, but neither had said anything as they did not know anyway, and luckily no one had been harmed. Arthur Weasley made sure to send a Patronus to Ron to let him know they were fine. Ginny could only hope he, Harry and Hermione would be fine, too.

Ginny returned to Hogwarts. But Hogwarts was not Hogwarts anymore. Together with Luna and Neville she restarted the DA. It was the only thing she could do to calm her heart, to not feel completely useless. She was going crazy, not being able to do anything, not knowing, never sure of what was going on. It was like a trauma, everything felt dull, unreal, wrong.

One of the moments she was feeling the most alive was when Neville, Luna and she went to steal the sword of Gryffindor from Snape's office, finally something they could do to help. That plan went incredibly wrong; they were of course detected and had been locked up in the Slytherin dungeon for quite a while, gotten lots of detention and many extra essays to write. _Could have been worse,_ Ginny thought. If only they had not failed…

The day Luna was captured and taken away by the Death Eaters sort of shook their resistance to Snape's regime, and soon after that Ginny had to go into hiding at Muriel's, the Death Eaters had somehow learned that Ron was with Harry and not sick at home. The Weasleys were highly threatened. Hiding again. Not being able to do anything was eating her up, now that she did not even have the DA anymore.

Tonks joined them at some point, wanting to make sure they were safe, and became a close friend to Ginny over time. She was the first one – beside Luna - whom Ginny told about her feelings for Hermione. And she was glad about Tonks's support. Fred and George found out about her and Hermione shortly afterwards, after all, she had never been able to hide anything from them. It was nice to know that they accepted her and her feelings.

And she could not bear it; it drove her mad, made her desperate that there was no way of receiving a sign from the three.

"No sign is a good sign. If they had been captured the Death Eaters would not have hesitated to tell the world," Tonks said for what was probably the thousandth time when Ginny panicked again.

"_What if they've been caught? Harry's the 'Undesirable Number One', or maybe they only caught one of them, what if Hermione – "_

"_Ginny, Ginny… calm down," Tonks hushed her and placed her hands onto Ginny's shoulders. "They're all right. We'd know if they weren't. And with Hermione with them… what's gonna go wrong? She is after all the brightest witch her age. They will make it. They're strong. You have to be strong as well, Gin. You can do it."_

Hermione had once (during her sixth – Ginny's fifth – year) said to her that she admired her strength. And Tonks had agreed to that. Thus Ginny did all she could to do justice to this, to not give in to fear, to not drown in despair.

And she talked to Tonks about love. Again and again, love, love, goddamned love. How it had made Tonks hold on, how it pulled her through, and she said Ginny should let it pull her through as well. And she did. Love, which made everything so difficult, and yet so easy. Which seemed to be able to bear anything, but yet kept pulling her down like a rock while she tried to swim. No escape.

Yes, it was love that Ginny felt for Hermione; she had never felt as strong as that for anyone. Whenever the rock drowned her into the depth Ginny recalled Hermione's words.

"_I love you, Ginny."_

_I love you too, Hermione. _How often had she whispered this sentence, but Hermione was not there to hear it.

…x…x…x…x…x…x

She could not even say how many weeks or months had passed since the wedding. She did not let anyone get to her except Tonks and her twin brothers. She behaved as always on the outside, but the fear was eating her from the inside literally. She had never been chubby, but now she was thinner than ever before. She could not care less.

"_Ginny. Come on; eat at least a little piece. Hermione will kill me if I let you starve," Tonks said jokingly, but her eyes were filled with concern. Ginny stopped pushing her food around with her fork and tried to actually eat it, but it did not seem to have any taste, and she did not have any appetite either. She let out a sigh._

"_I can't, Tonks. I try, but I can't." Her voice was so shaky she feared it might break, just like her heart broke every time she thought about never seeing Hermione again. Tonks took hold of her hand, then pulled her into a hug._

"_I know how you feel. I swear, I do. What with Remus being on the road all the time…" Ginny hugged her back. They really were in the same situation. It was comforting, but her heart hurt nonetheless._

Then, when she was shortly before surrendering to another attack of panic, she finally received a message. Hot in the pocket of her jeans. The bewitched Galleon that Hermione had given them for the DA. A message from Neville. They were in Hogwarts. Ginny's heart made a leap.

_Hermione._

"Fred! George! Tonks!"


	4. Chapter 3 Part 2

WARNING: Death and destruction in this chapter. Blame J.K. Rowling D:

**We Should Have Had Years**

Chapter 3 Part 2

The Battle

They did not lose any time. Now was the moment to act. Tonks apparated Ginny with her. Hogsmeade, the Hog's Head. A secret tunnel behind Ariana Dumbledore's portrait, to the DA headquarters in Hogwarts.

And there, for the first time after so long they were facing each other. It was not Harry's beaming smile that she returned. Her eyes were only for her, could only be for her, and she knew it, she looked at her with the same realization, her brown eyes could not have shined more brightly, she was okay. Regarding the circumstances, she was okay.

But now was not the time. Not the time to tell her what she had been waiting to tell her. Now – now of all things – was the time to finish what the three had begun, to end the quest, to defy Voldemort.

Harry said something about a hidden object that had to be somewhere in the castle, the rest of the Order of the Phoenix arrived, everyone was in a turmoil, McGonagall chased Snape out of the castle with a rage Ginny had never seen in the usually strict and composed professor, Ron Hermione had mysteriously disappeared after Ron had babbled about some bathroom, Harry was on his way to the Ravenclaw Tower, Luna right behind him.

Then Mr and Mrs Weasley and the rest of their children arrived; Ginny joined them and had a heated argument with her mother, who demanded her to leave the castle with the other ones that were underage. _To safety._ Maybe she did not want to be goddamned safe, maybe she wanted to stay and fight, to not sit somewhere insecurely and wait while the people who meant most to her all stayed here, risking their lives for the Greater Good, the _effing_ Greater Good.

With a voice so high and hysterical that it did not even sound like her anymore Ginny screamed all of this in her mother's face, on the verge of loosing it, of hexing everything around her, cursing it until her wand would break, tears of rage glistening in her fiery eyes when even Harry (when had he come back, she did not even know) shook his head when she shot him a pleading glance.

And it was Percy, Percy of all people, who ended this to-ing and fro-ing.

He stumbled out of the cave that led to the Hog's Head.

"I was a fool!" he roared, and the ice was broken, before Ginny knew what happened her brother and her family had reconciled, were laying in each other's arms and she was being pulled to them, and then she used her chance to sneak off.

"Ginny!" Mrs Weasley barked. And this time it was Lupin who sided with her and proposed to let her stay. Under the stern gaze of her father Ginny had no choice but accept to stay in this room. Harry went to look for Ron and Hermione, or for the secret object? – She did not know that either, all the other underage students were being evacuated through the tunnel. All this passed by like a movie for Ginny; she would only remember it vaguely later on. What she and everyone would never forget, though, were Voldemort's words, his voice magically amplified, echoing through everyone's heads:

"_Give me Harry Potter, and none shall be harmed. You have until midnight."_

Professor McGonagall separated everyone into different groups to protect the castle. Ginny stayed with Fred and George, they would take care of the secret passageways. She wanted to help. She broke her promise to stay in the room. Her parents did not notice, they were already busy casting protection charms, and then, all of a sudden, hell broke loose. How quickly could time have passed, it was already midnight, the attack had started, the thread had become more real than ever before.

_Hermione._

She had to find her, but where to start searching, she got almost hit by a curse, and then Tonks was there and her wand flicked through the air, the shield charm blocked the curse and Ginny started to cast stunning curses at the Death Eaters.

"Have you seen Remus?" Tonks shouted at her, Ginny shook her head, Tonks dashed away, what was she doing here anyway, she should be home with Teddy, and then someone called Ginny's name behind her. She heard something fall to the ground with a weird sound, as if it were bones, then she whirled around to be met with a pair of arms so strong that she almost lost her balance.

"Hermione!" she gasped and clang onto her, finally, _finally. _And they did not care, it did not bother them that Harry and Ron were standing right behind them when they kissed, Ron's jaw dropped to the ground, curses were still soaring around. For them, time was standing still for those few seconds.

"Is this the moment?" Harry asked weakly, but the girls just hugged more tightly.

"HEY! There's a war going on here!"

"I know, Harry," Ginny said, her eyes not leaving Hermione for a second, "that is why… it's now or never, isn't it." Hermione smiled brightly at her.

The four of them startled when the walls around them started shaking and some duellers sprinted into the corridor, Tonks among them. Ginny hurried towards her and sent a jinx at the Death Eater who had aimed for Tonks.

"Good girl!" roared Aberforth and led a group of students past them while Tonks called: "Have you seen Remus?"

"He was duelling Dolohov," shouted Aberforth, "haven't seen him since!"

"Tonks, I'm sure he's okay- ," Ginny said, but Tonks had already run off after Aberforth.

The words Harry said to calm her were empty, and they all knew it, then he grabbed Ron and Hermione and they left. Ginny did not know where to go, so she just ran after Tonks and Aberforth, not realizing she was running directly into the battlefield.

And what she saw there made her heart almost skip a beat. Remus, on the ground, Tonks duelling Bellatrix, Percy duelling Thicknesse, Fred duelling a masked Death Eater, and while Fred was still laughing about some joke Percy had told, not only the ceiling above them but also a part of Ginny's world collapsed. When she recovered from the dust Percy was screaming: "No – no – NO! No, Fred, NO!" And he sank down beside his brother, and Ginny's vision turned black for some moments, seeing Fred laying there, his last laughter still on his face.

She never heard the other explosions, the curses, all she could see was her brother laying dead on the floor, the tears falling onto his ripped shirt, she did not know whose hands pulled her away, whose voice called her and told her to get to safety, _away from here, away, _but how was she supposed to leave when the world ended here. In a trance-like state she followed Percy and Harry who had grabbed Fred's corpse and carried it into a niche, and then Harry was gone again.

And for a short moment Ginny gave in to the horrendous truth, let her mind realize that Fred was gone until Percy stormed off and she followed him again, back into the battle, back to duel. How many curses had left her wand, how many protection charms, she could not say afterwards, but her world was crashed another time. She saw Tonks fall down slow-motion-like after Bellatrix had screamed the Killing Curse with a face twisted in evil and a mocking laughter. Tonks had not been quick enough. Bellatrix had hit her straight into the chest.

"No – NO!" Ginny heard herself scream, she rushed up towards Bellatrix, but before she could reach her all Death Eaters had withdrawn when Voldemort's voice sounded over the place a second time, this time with a direct call at Harry to deliver himself. He gave them one hour.

One hour. One single hour.

Ginny sank down next to Tonks and clang to her cape, hoping she was not dead, she would just get up and calm her, no problem, just a scratch, but she did not, of course she did not, Fred had not done so either. It were the rough hands of her father that lifted her up gently and pulled her into his arms, that carried Tonks to the Great Hall an put her down next to Remus. Tears ran down Ginny's face, she was unable to stop them, she was sure she would soon wither away from inside, and it got even worse when she saw her mother collapsed over Fred's chest, shaking, crying, almost choking from misery. Ginny knelt down beside her, George was crouching at Fred's head, and no one was able to utter a word. Never had Ginny seen her family in such pain. Emptiness… nothing. Ginny believed she would never be able to feel anything but this pain, this hole that Fred and Tonks and Remus and all the others left in her heart.

Then she was hugged, and she wrapped her own arms around Hermione's body, relieved that she was there, that she was alive, and yet the pain was not any less awful when she buried her face in Hermione's shoulder, trying to forget, to escape, to make herself believe that this was not real.

Reality was so cruel sometimes.

And then, when she looked up into Hermione's dark brown eyes looking at her with such hurt and despair, but yet held so much warmth, her tears faded.

_Be strong. She needs you just like you need her._

She took Hermione's face in both her hands, stroke her wet, smudgy cheeks, rested her forehead against Hermione's, kissed her lips ever so gently and let her cry.

"I'm so sorry, Ginny…"

"I know." Her voice broke. "It's gonna be fine somehow."

Ginny did not even believe so herself.

They all got up when the doors flew open.

Where was the time they needed so much? The hour had passed so quickly; the short moments of security had gone by so fast. But where was Harry?

"NO!" Professor McGonagall's voice shouted. Ron, Hermione and Ginny stepped up to her, and they all stared in horror, nothing but terrified screams leaving their throats.

"NO, Harry! HARRY!"

She could not believe it. Not him, not Harry, the only hope they had had, resting in Hagrid's arms, dead. Defeated.

And while Voldemort talked about Harry being such a coward, having his friends die for him while he had tried to flee, so many things happened at the same time.

Neville stepped up to the Dark Lord.

Harry disappeared out of view.

Neville rejected the curses Voldemort threw at him, and with one single movement her pulled out the sword of Gryffindor at cut off Nagini's head.

The battle started again. Chaos.

_Harry, Harry, where's Harry?_

Her searching eyes did not find him, but Bellatrix Lestrange. The witch who was just firing curse after curse at –

_Hermione._

Something in Ginny's head snapped. She stormed towards Bellatrix who was now firing her curses so quickly that her wand was just a blur; Hermione had difficulties to hold up her shield charms. Ginny ran, dashed, shot jinxes, shockers, curses, anything at that witch, Luna joined them, but Bellatrix stood her ground against the three of them. Ginny felt a curse soaring so close to her ear it almost hit her.

"NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH!"

Ginny incredulously watched as her mother hurried up towards Bellatrix, throwing her cloak away in doing so. Bellatrix started laughing.

"OUT OF MY WAY!" Mrs Weasley called and Ginny knew she had to obey her mother. She drew back, seized Hermione's arm and held back some other students who had motioned to help her mother. Never had she seen her mother this enraged. They had no chance of helping her; Ginny did not dare to shoot a curse at Bellatrix for fear of hitting her mother.

While she clang to Hermione's arm and was no longer fighting she saw that Bellatrix' duel and Voldemort's duel against McGonagall, Slughorn and Kingsley were the last ones. All the other Death Eaters had been defeated.

Bellatrix started mocking Mrs Weasley about Fred's death, and that seemed to be the spark that sent it off. With the next sway of Molly's wand the curse hit Bellatrix straight in the chest, her exhilarated face twisted, and she fell over. Voldemort screamed furiously about the loss of his last lieutenant, his fury burst like a bomb, his three opponents were flailing through the air away from him.

Then, out of nothing, when Voldemort aimed the worst curse at Molly Weasley, someone screamed _"Protego!"_

_Harry._

He was not dead, he was there, he was _not dead_!

_(A/N: The rest of the battle to be read in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, I won't be writing all of that down right now…)_

…x…x….x…x…x

Aurora

"It's me," Harry mumbled to Hermione and Ron, "Will you come with me?"

Hermione had been watching Ginny. She was sitting next to her mother with her head on her shoulder. Hermione knew there would be time to talk later on. They would have time, days, weeks, months, years even. The worst was over now.

She followed Harry and Ron outside.

Harry still carried the Elder wand. But he did not want it, he said. He used the wand to cast _Reparo _on his broken Phoenix wand. He did not want the mightiest wand. He would bring it back to Dumbledore's tomb, and thus end the bloody line this wand had drawn through history.

This wand is more trouble than it's worth. And honestly, I've had enough trouble for a lifetime."

How very true. They started to walk back towards the Great Hall. Before they arrived there they paused again, as if to take another deep breath.

It was not Harry, but Ron who talked first.

"So, Hermione… you and Ginny, huh?"

It was not a question, more like a statement. Hermione nodded. Harry remained silent.

"Since?"

"The wedding."

"So, that ring was…?"

"Yes."

Ron sighed. Hermione was surprised to see Harry smile.

"I figured," he said at her prompting glance.

"Say what?" Ron said, dumbfounded. He boxed Harry's arm. "And you don't tell me anything, mate?

"Nah, I thought you had figured as well?" Before the two could continue bickering Hermione threw her arms around both of them at the same time. She was simply relieved that they took it so well, that they did not retreat from her or found her disgusting. The boys returned her embrace.

"Thank you," she whispered when they let go.

"Well, I'll have to get used to this, but it's alright, 'Mione. At least I won't have to be afraid she'll pick the wrong bloke." Ron grinned at her, his ears turning his trademark red.

"I have to admit you have a fine taste," Harry commented and winked at her. Hermione had to try had to restrain her tears; she had hurt them both so badly – yes, she knew she had – and they just took it like that, accepted it, even Ron, who did not always have such a grip on himself. She threw her arms around them again. Then they all started laughing, for the very first time since what felt like years.

"Time for you to go back inside, you'll have some people waiting for you. I'll be bringing this back to where it belongs," Harry muttered and raised the Elder wand, and so Hermione and Ron went back inside through the demolished gate together. Hermione's eyes flew across the room while his mother pulled Ron into a fierce hug.

"Oh Ron, I'm so glad, let me see you, are you alright? Oh my dear…"

"Yeah, I'm fine, mom," Ron answered and did not push her away like he would have done usually. She let him go and turned to Hermione, then drew her close as well. She seemed to examine her for any injuries from head to toe, then let out a sigh when she found nothing serious.

"Hermione, dear… Ginny is over there, " Molly said and motioned to a group of bedrolls which had been put up in the Great Hall. She seemed to know what Hermione's eyes had been searching for her alone all the time. And indeed, there the redhead was, sitting on one of the rolls, gazing obliviously at the enchanted ceiling where dawn had just started to show. Without asking if Molly actually knew about her and Ginny Hermione walked up to her and sat down next to her, draping one arm around her shoulders an letting Ginny wrap her own arm around her waist.

The first beams of the sun started to break through the clouds and made the light a little brighter in the Great Hall; they returned some of the glamour this place used to hold.

And this moment belonged to them.

Ginny lifted her head and cupped Hermione's cheek with her free hand, gently turning the brunette's head to face her. She tenderly stroked her thump over Hermione's skin, then leaned forwards to plant a soft kiss onto her lips.

Now was not the time for story telling, they would have time for that later. Now, it was only a few words that mattered, and Ginny did not hesitate any longer to say them out loud finally while looking into those chocolate eyes she had been longing to see.

"I love you, Hermione."

"I love you, too, Ginny."


End file.
